Senior Communications Lead, India

Job description

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way. The Community you will join: The communications team is responsible for telling the Airbnb story around the world. Whether we are briefing press on inspiring travel trends, highlighting unique experiences led by local hosts, or explaining how travel on our platform benefits local families and communities, we are the voice of Airbnb on a broad range of topics. We're a fast growing and high energy team with a passion for people, places and great stories. The difference you will make: Based in India, we're looking for a Senior Communications Lead, India, to own Airbnb's communications strategy in one of our most important growth markets. Reporting to the APAC Communications Director, you'll lead the India communications team and agency partners. You'll drive the work behind our consumer, policy and corporate goals, and act as a senior advisor to India leadership. You'll shape how Airbnb is seen in India, making sure local plans meet business needs while staying in line with regional and global priorities. We're looking for someone who can lead Consumer, Product, Policy and Corporate Communications under one roof, thinking holistically about strategy across all of them. You're an experienced, strategic communicator who is at ease with senior executives, government stakeholders and top-tier media. You can handle complexity, ambiguity and pressure, and you bring sound judgment to high-stakes moments. Role & Responsibilities: • Set and own the multi-year India communications strategy, aligned with global and regional priorities and tied to measurable business outcomes • Sit on the India Leadership Team as the communications voice, helping shape business priorities and drive growth in the market • Lead Consumer, Product, Policy and Corporate Communications as one integrated function, with a single strategy that connects all four • Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Product, Policy and Business teams in a MarComms model, so communications supports business strategy and delivers measurable business outcomes • Act as a trusted advisor to the India Country Manager and to visiting global executives • Lead, coach and grow the India communications team and agency partners, building capability and a culture of creative, high-quality work • Help the team prioritize against business goals, give clear direction on where to focus, and coach them on trade-offs and execution • Oversee editorial communications, national campaigns and the news calendar • Partner closely with Public Policy on regulatory and government-relations communications, and position Airbnb as a constructive voice on tourism in India • Lead issues and crisis management for India: prepare scenarios, guide the response, and protect reputation • Build executive visibility and thought-leadership platforms for local and global leaders • Build and maintain senior relationships with national, business and regional media across India • Define success metrics, report impact to regional and global leadership, and manage the market budget • Represent India in APAC and global communications planning, sharing local insights that shape wider strategy Skills: • Bachelor's / Master's degree • Communications experience across agency and in-house, including senior roles leading teams • Track record of building and executing communications strategy in India for a consumer or tech brand • Strong network across Indian national, business and regional media • Deep experience in corporate, policy and/or reputation communications, including handling high-profile issues and crises • Experience leading or working with agencies that manage influencer and celebrity work &